Donald Trump has signed an executive order pushing local governments to remove homeless people from the streets, aiming to reverse legal precedents that restrict their ability to force individuals into treatment for mental health and substance abuse. The order, signed on Thursday, seeks to redirect funds towards rehabilitation and treatment, with the goal of restoring public order.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said the president was delivering on his commitment to make America safe again and end homelessness. However, the National Homelessness Law Center condemned the order, arguing it deprives people of their basic rights and will worsen the problem, as it does nothing to address the cost of housing.
The action comes as the US homelessness crisis has worsened significantly, with a record 770,000 people counted last year. The Supreme Court ruled last year that cities can criminalise sleeping outside, even when no shelter is available, a decision that emboldened many local authorities to take punitive measures.
Trump's order explicitly calls for moving homeless people to 'long-term institutional settings' through civil commitment. Critics, including the ACLU, note that cities across the US have introduced over 320 bills criminalising homelessness, which advocates say only exacerbates the crisis by shuffling people between jail and the streets.
During his campaign, Trump used harsh rhetoric about tent cities, raising fears of inhumane treatment. The executive order is the latest in a series of federal actions that prioritise enforcement over housing solutions, sparking debate over the most effective approach to tackle homelessness.
